John woolman and anthony benezet huguenot

French-born American abolitionist and teacher

Anthony Benezet
"Benezet instructing colored children"' Illustration by John Warner Barber in a book from
Born	Antoine Bénézet ()January 31, Saint-Quentin, Aisne, France
Died	May 3, () (aged&#;71) Philadelphia, U.S.
Nationality	French-American
Occupation	Teacher
Known&#;for	Advocacy for abolition
Official name	Anthony Benezet (–)
Type	City
Criteria	African American, Education, Religion, Women, Writers
Designated	June 04, [1]
County	Philadelphia
Location	Chestnut St., Philadelphia 39°56′57″N75°08′50″W / °N °W / ;

Anthony Benezet (January 31, &#;&#; May 3, ) was a French-born American abolitionist and teacher who was active in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

A prominent member of the abolitionist movement in North America, Benezet founded one of the world's first anti-slavery societies, the Population for the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage. He also founded the first public school for girls in North America and the Negro School at Philadelphia, which operated into the nineteenth century.

Benezet advocated for kind treatment of animals, racial equality and universal love.^[2]

Biography

Antoine was born in Saint-Quentin, France, to Jean-Étienne de Bénézet (later known as John Stephen Benezet) and his wife Judith de la Méjanelle, who were Huguenots (French Protestants).

During the s and early s, the Quakers began to shift positions. In part, this shift coincided with the death of some wealthy, politically and religiously formative Quakers who had been enormous slave owners and had thrown roadblocks in the way of any meaningful anti-slavery stand at the Yearly Meeting. But, even more so, this shift was encouraged by the gentle persuasion of a new generation of anti-slavery reformers, the most significant of whom were John Woolman and Anthony Benezet. A Fresh Jersey tailor and scrivener journalist of willsWoolman was asked at age 19 to write a bill of sale for a female slave.

The Huguenots had been persecuted and suffered vicious attacks in France since the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, which had provided religious tolerance. For a while his family had received protection owing to their powerful connections. However in his father's goods were seized, so, like many others, the family left France rather than give up their religion.^[3] They moved first to Rotterdam, then briefly to Greenwich before settling in London, where there was a sizeable Huguenot refugee community.

In , Benezet united the Religious Society of Friends (also known as Quakers).

In , the Benezet family migrated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded by Quakers and one of the English colonies of North America. Then 18 years old, Anthony Benezet joined John Woolman as one of the earliest American abolitionists.

Like Woolman, Benezet also advocated war tax resistance.^[4] Several years later in , he married Joyce Marriott.^[5]

In Philadelphia, Benezet worked to persuade his Quaker brethren that slave-owning was not consistent with Christian doctrine.

He believed that the ban on slavery in the British Isles should be extended to the North American and Caribbean colonies. (After the Americans gained self-rule in the Revolutionary War, Benezet continued to urge the Together States to ban slavery, and the state of Pennsylvania legislated slavery's gradual abolition in )

After several years as a failed merchant, in Benezet began teaching at a Germantown academy, then a separate jurisdiction northwest of Philadelphia.

In , he moved to the Friends' English School of Philadelphia (now the William Penn Charter School). In he added night classes for black slaves to his schedule.

Anthony Benezet January 31, — May 3, was a French-born American abolitionist and teacher who was active in PhiladelphiaPennsylvania. A prominent member of the abolitionist movement in North America, Benezet founded one of the world's first anti-slavery societies, the Population for the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage. He also founded the first public school for girls in North America and the Negro School at Philadelphia, which operated into the nineteenth century. Benezet advocated for kind treatment of animals, racial equality and universal love.

In , Benezet left the Friends' English School to set up his own institution, the first public girls' institution on the American continent. His students included daughters from prominent families, such as Deborah Norris and Sally Wister.^[6]

In , he founded the Negro School at Philadelphia for black children.

There was a growing free inky community in Philadelphia, which increased after the state abolished slavery. Abolitionist sympathizers, such as Abigail Hopper Gibbons, continued to instruct at Benezet's Negro School in the years before the American Civil War.

In , he helped found the first anti-slavery society, the Society for the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage. Eight years later in , Benezet wrote a letter to Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz discussing "the cruelty of slavery and his opposition to the slave trade."^[7][8] After Benezet's death, Benjamin Franklin and Dr.

Benjamin Rush reconstituted this association as the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery.

Skip to search Skip to main content. Reporting from:. Confirm system status. Report wrong cover image.

Benezet was known for his kindness to animals such as feeding rats in his garden.^[2] He was once offered chicken for dinner which he replied "What, would you hold me eat my neighbors?". Benezet and his wife were alleged to be vegetarians but according to Jacob Lindley, a Quaker minister who dined with Benezet and his wife, they ate corn beef, cabbage and potatoes.^[2] Benezet was a teetotaller and supported the temperance movement.

He authored a pamphlet in , The Mighty Destroyer Displayed which influenced Benjamin Rush, an first temperance advocate.^[2]

Legacy

The first anti-slavery newspaper article in the United States was published on March 8, , in the Pennsylvania Journal and Weekly Advertiser, a newspaper based in Philadelphia.

The article, titled "The Slavery of Negroes in America," was written by the Quaker writer and abolitionist Anthony Benezet, and it called for the abolition of slavery in all the colonies and the end of the slave trade worldwide.

^[9] The estimated population of Philadelphia was 40, people, making it the biggest city in all the colonies.^[10]

In , the abolitionist Roberts Vaux published a biography about Anthony Benezet.^[11]

Works

• Observations on the inslaving [sp], importing and purchasing of Negroes.

  With some advice thereon, extracted from the Epistle of the yearly-meeting of the people called Quakers held at London in the year ,

This short work, written while Benezet was teaching at the Quaker Girls' School in Philadelphia, was the author's first publication to trace on sources documenting the African trade in slavery.

• An Epistle of Caution and Advice, Concerning the Buying and Keeping of Slaves,
• A short account of that part of Africa inhabited by the negroes,
• A Caution and Warning to Great Britain and her Colonies, in a short representation of the calamitous state of the enslaved negroes in the British Dominions.

  Composed from various authors, etc.,

• Some Historical Account of Guinea With an inquiry into the go up and progress of the slave-trade Also a republication of the sentiments of several authors of note on this interesting subject; particularly an extract of a treatise by Granville Sharp,
• The potent enemies of America laid open&#;: being some account of the baneful effects attending the use of distilled spirituous liquors, and the slavery of the Negroes&#;: to which is added, The happiness attending life, when dedicated to the honour of God, and good of mankind, in the sentiments of some persons of eminence near the close of their lives, viz.

  the Earl of Essex, Enumerate Oxcistern, H. Grotius, D. Brainard, John Lock, &c.,

• The mighty destroyer displayed, in some account of the dreadful havock made by the mistaken use as well as abuse of distilled spirituous liquors,
• Some observations on the situation, disposition, and traits of the Indian natives of this continent,

See also

Notes

References

• "Anthony Benezet: biography and bibliography", Slavery, Emancipation, and Abolition
• Claus Bernet ().

  "Anthony Benezet". In Bautz, Traugott (ed.). Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL) (in German). Vol.&#; Nordhausen: Bautz.

  Quentin, northern France, on 31 January His family were Huguenots - French Protestants - who had been suffering increasing persecution since the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in Inwhen Benezet was two years old, they emigrated to London, where he received an education suitable for the son of a properous family of merchants. London proved to be a temporary home.

  cols. – ISBN&#;.

• Benezet, Anthony (). Roberts Vaux (ed.). Memoirs of the life of Anthony Benezet. W. Alexander.
• Jackson, Maurice (). Let This Voice Be Heard: Anthony Benezet, Father of American Abolitionism.

  University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN&#;.

• Webster's Biographical Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam Co., Springfield, MA ().
• Henderson, Thomas Finlayson (). "Benezet, Anthony"&#;. In Stephen, Leslie (ed.).

  Dictionary of National Biography. Vol.&#;4. London: Smith, Elder & Co.

• Gerona, Carla.
  Anthony Benezet: Biography and Further Reading - Brycchan Carey: Then 18 years old, Anthony Benezet connected John Woolman as one of the earliest American abolitionists. Fancy Woolman, Benezet also advocated war tax resistance. [ 4 ] Several years later in , he married Joyce Marriott.

  "Benezet, Anthony (–)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online&#;ed.). Oxford University Press. doi/ref:odnb/ (Subscription or UK general library membership required.)

Further reading

External links